Sri Lanka’s Captain Kusal Mendis cut a delighted figure after sealing a 1-0 series win over the West Indies, even though rain allowed just one completed match in the three-game contest at Sabina Park.

The tourists won the opener by 41 runs last Wednesday, before the next two games were washed out, handing Sri Lanka its first One-Day International (ODI) series win in the West Indies in 23 years — and a rare away series victory overall.

Mendis scored 72 runs in his team’s total of 303/7 off their 50 overs in the opening encounter. Sri Lanka then returned and bowled out the West Indies for 262.

“I am very happy to win the series even though we played only one game but everyone played really well. The bowling part, and the batting part, everybody done really well,” Mendis told the Jamaica Observer.

While pleased with the result, Mendis says the abandoned second and third ODIs left the squad wanting more, especially with World Cup preparation in mind.

“Unfortunately not playing the last two matches, everyone was sad,” he said. “Everyone wanted to play. The reason is we have a couple of matches before the World Cup. I think the West Indies played really well in the first match and then unfortunately the rain — we are not happy not playing.”

The series win carries extra weight in the Sri Lankan dressing room as it breaks a long run without an away series triumph.

“We don’t win series out of our country,” Mendis said “Normally we win the series in Sri Lanka. Away series, I think after a long time we won and everybody is very happy with the first match.”

— Ruddy Allen